Textination Newsline

Dr Ben Allardyce and PhD candidate Mr Martin Zaki from Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials’ (IFM) have delivered a world first in next generation materials research.

Silkworm silk is a protein-based fibre with mechanical properties rivalling petroleum-derived synthetic fibres yet spun using a fraction of the energy. Despite decades of research, aspects of natural silkworm spinning remain a mystery.

The IFM discovery takes researchers one step closer to solving this mystery by wet spinning a new class of silk that produces fibres that outperform natural silk.
 
A materials breakthrough
This research, led by Dr Allardyce and Mr Zaki, with expert input from Sheffield University's Professor Chris Holland, involves sidestepping degumming - a commonplace industrial process - and experimenting with dissolving whole silk fibres.
Using this new technique, the team were able to produce a spinnable solution that better imitates silk as it is produced by the silkworm. This solution was wet spun using IFM’s state-of-the art pilot fibre and textile facility to produce fibres that more closely matched natural silk.

According to IFM’s Deputy Director Joe Razal, the team’s discovery is a world first and demonstrates how IFM researchers are creating new sustainable materials that have real-world application and impact.

‘Ben and Martin challenged the norm by creating silk fibres in a laboratory setting,’ Professor Razal said.

‘They wet spun a cocktail of solubilised, non-separated silk components that mimic the properties produced in nature.’

‘The team identified a way to recreate the fibre produced by the silkworm and unlock the potential for it to be just as biodegradable, tough and energy efficient. In fact, when spun under identical conditions, undegummed solutions produces fibres 8 times stronger and 218 times tougher than degummed silk feedstocks.’

Undegummed versus degummed silk
‘Traditionally, industry has used degumming to unravel the silkworms cocoon to produce their fibres. It is also commonly used by researchers to facilitate “unspinning” silk back into a solution that can then be solidified into new forms,’ Professor Holland said.
’However removing a key component to the natural material, the sericin gum coating, often comes with collateral damage to the silk proteins and so it’s often considered a necessary evil.’

Mr Zaki explains that the team wanted to produce better materials while simultaneously understanding how.

‘We took a step back and asked why has no one attempted this? Is it because it is too hard, or because everyone degums silk and no one has considered doing something different?

In industry, the largest portion of water waste, labour, and energy consumption usually comes from the degumming process. By-passing this step, we increase the potential of a more sustainable technology.’

‘Undegummed cocoons are normally insoluble,’ adds Dr Allardyce. ‘Our innovative process combines a milling step followed by a supersaturated solvent that enables dissolution.’

‘No-one has attempted to artificially spin undegummed silk before. And no-one has ever successfully dissolved undegummed cocoons and re-spun them in this way.’
 
Future applications
Degummed silk is used in nerve repair, coating foods to improve shelf-life and biodegradable batteries.

This ground-breaking research forges a new pathway to recreate a fibre with structures akin to native silk.

Dr Allardyce maintains that it’s also an innovation that could apply to other next generation fibres.

‘If the knowledge could be applied to other biopolymers - other proteins, cellulosic fibres - we could potentially produce new fibres that have a fraction of the energy input to synthetics but perform just as well while retaining the advantage of biodegradability.’

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati researchers have developed a water-repellent, conductive textile that converts electricity and sunlight into heat. Designed to keep wearers warm in cold environments, this innovation addresses the serious health risks posed by prolonged exposure to very low temperatures, including hemoconcentration-based arterial blood clotting, breathing difficulties, and weakened immunity.
 
The findings of this research have been published in the journal, Nano-Micro-Small, in a paper co-authored by Prof. Uttam Manna, Department of Chemistry, IIT Guwahati, along with his research team, Ms. Debasmita Sarkar, Mr. Haydar Ali, Mr. Rajan Singh, Mr. Anirban Phukan, Mr. Chittaranjan Mishra, and Prof. Roy P. Paily from Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, IIT Guwahati.

Extreme cold temperatures can lead to health problems that can even be fatal. Studies indicate that deaths due to extreme cold outnumber those caused by extreme heat. Traditional solutions protect oneself from extreme cold, such as heaters or layered clothing are often bulky or require a constant power source. Conductive textiles offer a lightweight, flexible alternative, but existing versions often have limitations, such as poor durability, high power consumption, and vulnerability to water exposure.

To overcome these challenges, IIT Guwahati research team developed a novel approach by sprayed ultra-thin and clean silver nanowires onto cotton fabric to make it conductive. These nanowires are 100,000 times thinner than a human hair, allowing electricity to flow through the fabric, helping it generate heat while remaining soft and flexible. Due to its exceptional electrical conductivity and the ability to convert both electricity and sunlight into heat, silver nanowires were chosen for this experiment. The low electrical resistance of silver allows the electrothermal conversion at low applied voltage and eliminating the risk of electrocution.

One limitation with silver nanowires is that it can tarnish over time, affecting performance. To address this, researchers applied a water-repellent coating to the silver nanowires that protects against oxidation, water, and stains. The coating, inspired by lotus leaves, has a microscopic rough surface texture, which causes water to roll off instead of soaking in. This keeps the textile dry, ensuring long-lasting conductivity and effective heating, even in damp conditions. The water-repellent coating also prevents damage from sweat, rain, or accidental spills, making it reliable for outdoor and everyday applications.

The textile can convert electricity using a small rechargeable battery or solar energy into heat and can maintain a desired temperature between 40°C and 60°C for over 10 hours.

The researchers tested the textile in wearable knee and elbow bands, demonstrating its potential to provide sustained warmth for individuals working in cold environments and arthritis patients needing localized heat therapy. Additionally, the textile has broader applications, such as on-demand water heating and accelerating chemical reactions by wrapping it around the reaction vessels.

Speaking about the developed textile, Prof. Uttam Manna, said, “Our textile is self-cleanable, breathable, and flexible and can easily be scaled up. Its durability and long-lasting performance make it useful in a range of applications that require controlled heating."
The research team has filed an Indian patent on the innovation and is now working towards integrating the developed material with a miniaturised and appropriate electronic circuit to create viable products. Additionally, the team is seeking industry collaborations to bring the innovation to market for potential dry thermos-therapy applications in the near future.

For the 24th time, Composites Germany has collected current key figures on the market for fiber-reinforced plastics. All member companies of the supporting associations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United as well as the associated partner VDMA were surveyed.

In order to ensure that the different surveys can be compared without any problems, no fundamental changes were made to the survey this half-year. Once again, mainly qualitative data relating to current and future market developments was collected.

The current survey did not reveal any improvement in sentiment regarding the general business situation.

Increasingly critical assessment of the current business situation
Apart from a few positive trends, the corresponding indicator has been pointing clearly downwards since 2022. There is still no sign of a trend reversal in the current survey either. (see Fig. 1). The assessment of the general business situation has fallen significantly in all regions mentioned.     

The reasons for the negative sentiment are varied and, in many cases, remain unchanged. High energy costs, raw material prices and logistics costs remain a major burden, particularly for German industry, but also for many other countries in Europe. In addition, the overall economy is weakening, especially in Europe and Germany. The key application areas for the composites industry - transportation/automotive and construction/infrastructure - are particularly affected by this.

In addition, many national economies are experiencing increasingly weak exports, particularly with regard to the Asian and especially Chinese markets. In terms of raw materials and finished products, for example in the automotive production sector, competition with European products is growing on a massive scale. This is partly due to overcapacities, but also to government subsidies, which in turn places an enormous price burden on suppliers. Political uncertainties, protectionist tendencies and armed conflicts are further worsening the economic climate.
           
The fact that politicians do not currently seem to be succeeding in creating an environment that is conducive to business remains a problem. Added to this is the lack of responses from European/German manufacturers. The composites market has already seen sharp declines in the last two years. There are still pessimistic signals from the industry for the current year. For the third year in a row, the European production volume is falling in contrast to a growing global market. The European composites industry is facing a progressive decline if it fails in creating a regulatory framework that enables competitive production. Germany is currently facing structural changes that are necessary, particularly in terms of economic policy and ecology. These necessary adjustments will take many years and require high levels of investment. It is urgently advisable to finally find a balance between the necessary burden on industry/companies and private households and the corresponding relief.

Future expectations show different trends
In line with the current negative mood in the industry, it is not only the assessment of the current general business situation that remains pessimistic; the future general market situation is also viewed extremely critically by those surveyed.

Only 19 % of respondents currently expect the global situation to improve. For Germany and Europe, the figure is only just over 10 %. The figure for Europe in particular has plummeted compared to the last survey.

This contrasts with a rather positive assessment of the company's own business situation. Here, the negative trend of the last two years for the global and European assessment of the company's own position has been halted. In the current survey, the indicators are turning positive.Only for Germany does the assessment remain critical. Only around 1/3 of respondents rate their own current situation positively. This also applies to future expectations. 28 % of those surveyed expect the general market situation in Germany to develop negatively. Only 21 % expect the current situation to improve.

The figures for Europe and the rest of the world are significantly better. Only 7 % expect the global situation to deteriorate further. The figure for Europe is 11 %.
      
Investment climate remains subdued
The current cautious assessment of the economic situation continues to have an impact on the investment climate. However, the first positive signs are also emerging here.          

While 13 % of respondents in the last survey still expected an increase in personnel capacity (survey 2/2024), this figure currently stands at 19 %. In contrast, however, 29 % still expect a decrease in personnel.

The proportion of respondents planning to invest in machinery continues to fall slightly. While 44 % were still assuming corresponding investments in the last survey, this figure has now fallen to 42 %.

Different expectations of application industries
The composites market is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of both materials and applications. In the survey, the participants were asked to give their assessment of the market development of different core areas. The expectations are extremely varied.

The most important area of application for Composites is mobility. This area is currently undergoing major upheaval and is experiencing a massive crisis in Europe and Germany. This is also clearly reflected in the survey. Growth is expected above all in the aviation and construction/infrastructure sectors, although the construction sector in Germany is also in recession.

Growth drivers with slight movements
The current survey shows slight movement in terms of growth impetus. In terms of their assessment of which areas will provide the key growth impetus for the composites industry in the future, GFRP saw a slight increase. CFRP, on the other hand, declined slightly.

There is a slight regional shift. The main growth impetus is expected to come from Asia and North America, with Asia's mentions declining slightly and North America increasing slightly. However, the EU (with the exception of Germany) is also frequently cited as a growth region. Germany continues to be seen less strongly as a growth driver and remains at a low level.

Composites index divergent
As already indicated in the current text, the Composites Index points in different directions. While the assessment of the company's own business situation is turning positive, the assessment of the general business situation remains pessimistic.
      
In the last three years, the European composites market has lost almost 20 % of its production volume and has fallen back to the 2010/2011 level.

Almost all sectors are equally affected by declines. Until the coronavirus pandemic, there was a continuous increase in production volumes for many years. Since the end of the coronavirus crisis and with the increase in macroeconomic uncertainties, Europe and Germany in particular appear to be becoming less attractive as a business location. Europe's market share is now steadily declining despite an increase in global production volumes. There are many reasons for this, and there are no simple solutions. However, if the industrial location is to remain secure, something has to change quickly. Once companies have moved away, it is difficult to bring them back. It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to counteract this negative trend. Targeted intervention, including by political decision-makers, would be desirable here. However, this cannot succeed without industry/business. Only together will it be possible to maintain and strengthen Germany as a business/industry location. For composites as a material group in general, there are still very good opportunities to expand the market position in both new and existing markets due to the special portfolio of properties. However, the dependence on macroeconomic developments remains.

It is now important to develop new market areas through innovation, to consistently exploit opportunities and to work together to further implement composites in existing markets. This can often be achieved better together than alone. With its excellent network, Composites Germany offers a wide range of opportunities.

The next composites market survey will be published in August 2025.

MIT researchers developed a fiber computer and networked several of them into a garment that learns to identify physical activities.

What if the clothes you wear could care for your health?
MIT researchers have developed an autonomous programmable computer in the form of an elastic fiber, which could monitor health conditions and physical activity, alerting the wearer to potential health risks in real-time. Clothing containing the fiber computer was comfortable and machine washable, and the fibers were nearly imperceptible to the wearer, the researchers report.

Unlike on-body monitoring systems known as “wearables,” which are located at a single point like the chest, wrist, or finger, fabrics and apparel have an advantage of being in contact with large areas of the body close to vital organs. As such, they present a unique opportunity to measure and understand human physiology and health.
The fiber computer contains a series of microdevices, including sensors, a microcontroller, digital memory, bluetooth modules, optical communications, and a battery, making up all the necessary components of a computer in a single elastic fiber.

The researchers added four fiber computers to a top and a pair of leggings, with the fibers running along each limb. In their experiments, each independently programmable fiber computer operated a machine-learning model that was trained to autonomously recognize exercises performed by the wearer, resulting in an average accuracy of about 70 percent.

Surprisingly, once the researchers allowed the individual fiber computers to communicate among themselves, their collective accuracy increased to nearly 95 percent.
“Our bodies broadcast gigabytes of data through the skin every second in the form of heat, sound, biochemicals, electrical potentials, and light, all of which carry information about our activities, emotions, and health. Unfortunately, most — if not all — of it gets absorbed and then lost in the clothes we wear. Wouldn’t it be great if we could teach clothes to capture, analyze, store, and communicate this important information in the form of valuable health and activity insights?” says Yoel Fink, a professor of materials science and engineering at MIT, a principal investigator in the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) and the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN), and senior author of a paper on the research, which has been published in Nature.

The use of the fiber computer to understand health conditions and help prevent injury will soon undergo a significant real-world test as well. U.S. Army and Navy service members will be conducting a monthlong winter research mission to the Arctic, covering 1,000 kilometers in average temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Dozens of base layer merino mesh shirts with fiber computers will be providing real-time information on the health and activity of the individuals participating on this mission, called Musk Ox II.

“In the not-too-distant future, fiber computers will allow us to run apps and get valuable health care and safety services from simple everyday apparel. We are excited to see glimpses of this future in the upcoming Arctic mission through our partners in the U.S. Army, Navy, and DARPA. Helping to keep our service members safe in the harshest environments is a honor and privilege,” Fink says.

He is joined on the paper by co-lead authors Nikhil Gupta, an MIT materials science and engineering graduate student; Henry Cheung MEng ’23; and Syamantak Payra ’22, currently a graduate student at Stanford University; John Joannopoulos, the Francis Wright Professor of Physics at MIT and director of the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies; as well as others at MIT, Rhode Island School of Design, and Brown University.

Fiber focus
The fiber computer builds on more than a decade of work in the Fibers@MIT lab at the RLE and was supported primarily by ISN. In previous papers, the researchers demonstrated methods for incorporating semiconductor devices, optical diodes, memory units, elastic electrical contacts, and sensors into fibers that could be formed into fabrics and garments.

“But we hit a wall in terms of the complexity of the devices we could incorporate into the fiber because of how we were making it. We had to rethink the whole process. At the same time, we wanted to make it elastic and flexible so it would match the properties of traditional fabrics,” says Gupta.
 
One of the challenges that researchers surmounted is the geometric mismatch between a cylindrical fiber and a planar chip. Connecting wires to small, conductive areas, known as pads, on the outside of each planar microdevice proved to be difficult and prone to failure because complex microdevices have many pads, making it increasingly difficult to find room to attach each wire reliably.

In this new design, the researchers map the 2D pad alignment of each microdevice to a 3D layout using a flexible circuit board called an interposer, which they wrapped into a cylinder. They call this the “maki” design. Then, they attach four separate wires to the sides of the “maki” roll and connected all the components together.
“This advance was crucial for us in terms of being able to incorporate higher functionality computing elements, like the microcontroller and Bluetooth sensor, into the fiber,” says Gupta.

This versatile folding technique could be used with a variety of microelectronic devices, enabling them to incorporate additional functionality.

In addition, the researchers fabricated the new fiber computer using a type of thermoplastic elastomer that is several times more flexible than the thermoplastics they used previously. This material enabled them to form a machine-washable, elastic fiber that can stretch more than 60 percent without failure.

They fabricate the fiber computer using a thermal draw process that the Fibers@MIT group pioneered in the early 2000s. The process involves creating a macroscopic version of the fiber computer, called a preform, that contains each connected microdevice.

This preform is hung in a furnace, melted, and pulled down to form a fiber, which also contains embedded lithium-ion batteries so it can power itself.
“A former group member, Juliette Marion, figured out how to create elastic conductors, so even when you stretch the fiber, the conductors don’t break. We can maintain functionality while stretching it, which is crucial for processes like knitting, but also for clothes in general,” Gupta says.

Bring out the vote
Once the fiber computer is fabricated, the researchers use a braiding technique to cover the fiber with traditional yarns, such as polyester, merino wool, nylon, and even silk.

In addition to gathering data on the human body using sensors, each fiber computer incorporates LEDs and light sensors that enable multiple fibers in one garment to communicate, creating a textile network that can perform computation.

Each fiber computer also includes a Bluetooth communication system to send data wirelessly to a device like a smartphone, which can be read by a user.

The researchers leveraged these communication systems to create a textile network by sewing four fiber computers into a garment, one in each sleeve. Each fiber ran an independent neural network that was trained to identify exercises like squats, planks, arm circles, and lunges.

“What we found is that the ability of a fiber computer to identify human activity was only about 70 percent accurate when located on a single limb, the arms or legs.
However, when we allowed the fibers sitting on all four limbs to ‘vote,’ they collectively reached nearly 95 percent accuracy, demonstrating the importance of residing on multiple body areas and forming a network between autonomous fiber computers that does not need wires and interconnects,” Fink says.

Moving forward, the researchers want to use the interposer technique to incorporate additional microdevices.

Arctic insights
In February, a multinational team equipped with computing fabrics will travel for 30 days and 1,000 kilometers in the Arctic. The fabrics will help keep the team safe, and set the stage for future physiological “digital twinning” models.

“As a leader with more than a decade of Arctic operational experience, one of my main concerns is how to keep my team safe from debilitating cold weather injuries — a primary threat to operators in the extreme cold,” says U.S. Army Major Mathew Hefner, the commander of Musk Ox II. “Conventional systems just don’t provide me with a complete picture. We will be wearing the base layer computing fabrics on us 24/7 to help us better understand the body’s response to extreme cold and ultimately predict and prevent injury.”
 
Karl Friedl, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine senior research scientist of performance physiology, noted that the MIT programmable computing fabric technology may become a “gamechanger for everyday lives.”

“Imagine near-term fiber computers in fabrics and apparel that sense and respond to the environment and to the physiological status of the individual, increasing comfort and performance, providing real-time health monitoring and providing protection against external threats. Soldiers will be the early adopters and beneficiaries of this new technology, integrated with AI systems using predictive physiological models and mission-relevant tools to enhance survivability in austere environments,” Friedl says.

“The convergence of classical fibers and fabrics with computation and machine learning has only begun. We are exploring this exciting future not only through research and field testing, but importantly in an MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering course ‘Computing Fabrics,’ taught with Professor Anais Missakian from the Rhode Island School of Design,” adds Fink.

This research was supported, in part, by the U.S. Army Research Office Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology (ISN), the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowship, the Paul and Daisy Soros Foundation Fellowship for New Americans, the Stanford-Knight Hennessy Scholars Program, and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

Researchers have developed comfortable, washable ‘smart pyjamas’ that can monitor sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea at home, without the need for sticky patches, cumbersome equipment or a visit to a specialist sleep clinic.

The team, led by the University of Cambridge, developed printed fabric sensors that can monitor breathing by detecting tiny movements in the skin, even when the pyjamas are worn loosely around the neck and chest.

The sensors embedded in the smart pyjamas were trained using a ‘lightweight’ AI algorithm and can identify six different sleep states with 98.6% accuracy, while ignoring regular sleep movements such as tossing and turning. The energy-efficient sensors only require a handful of examples of sleep patterns to successfully identify the difference between regular and disordered sleep.

The researchers say that their smart pyjamas could be useful for the millions of people in the UK who struggle with disordered sleep to monitor their sleep, and how it might be affected by lifestyle changes. The results are reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Sleep is vital for human health, yet more than 60% of adults experience poor sleep quality, leading to the loss of between 44 and 54 annual working days, and an estimated one percent reduction in global GDP. Sleep behaviours such as mouth breathing, sleep apnoea and snoring are major contributors to poor sleep quality, and can lead to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression.

“Poor sleep has huge effects on our physical and mental health, which is why proper sleep monitoring is vital,” said Professor Luigi Occhipinti from the Cambridge Graphene Centre, who led the research. “However, the current gold standard for sleep monitoring, polysomnography or PSG, is expensive, complicated and isn’t suitable for long-term use at home.”

Home devices that are simpler than PSG, such as home sleep tests, typically focus on a single condition and are bulky or uncomfortable. Wearable devices such as smartwatches, while more comfortable to wear, can only infer sleep quality, and are not effective for accurately monitoring disordered sleep.

“We need something that is comfortable and easy to use every night, but is accurate enough to provide meaningful information about sleep quality,” said Occhipinti.

To develop the smart pyjamas, Occhipinti and his colleagues built on their earlier work on a smart choker for people with speech impairments. The team re-designed the graphene-based sensors for breath analysis during sleep, and made several design improvements to increase sensitivity.

“Thanks to the design changes we made, the sensors are able to detect different sleep states, while ignoring regular tossing and turning,” said Occhinpinti. “The improved sensitivity also means that the smart garment does not need to be worn tightly around the neck, which many people would find uncomfortable. As long as the sensors are in contact with the skin, they provide highly accurate readings.”

The researchers designed a machine learning model, called SleepNet, that uses the signals captured by the sensors to identify sleep states including nasal breathing, mouth breathing, snoring, teeth grinding, central sleep apnoea (CSA), and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). SleepNet is a ‘lightweight’ AI network, that reduces computational complexity to the point where it can be run on portable devices, without the need to connect to computers or servers.

“We pruned the AI model to the point where we could get the lowest computational cost with the highest degree of accuracy,” said Occhinpinti. “This way we are able to embed the main data processors in the sensors directly.”

The smart pyjamas were tested on healthy patients and those with sleep apnoea, and were able to detect a range of sleep states with an accuracy of 98.6%. By treating the smart pyjamas with a special starching step, they were able to improve the durability of the sensors so they can be run through a regular washing machine.

The most recent version of the smart pyjamas are also capable of wireless data transfer, meaning the sleep data can be securely transferred to a smartphone or computer.
“Sleep is so important to health, and reliable sleep monitoring can be key in preventative care,” said Occhipinti. “Since this garment can be used at home, rather than in a hospital or clinic, it can alert users to changes in their sleep that they can then discuss with their doctor. Sleep behaviours such as nasal versus mouth breathing are not typically picked up in an NHS sleep analysis, but it can be an indicator of disordered sleep.”

The researchers are hoping to adapt the sensors for a range of health conditions or home uses, such as baby monitoring, and have been in discussions with different patient groups. They are also working to improve the durability of the sensors for long-term use.

The research was supported in part by the EU Graphene Flagship, Haleon, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

In collaboration with Heraeus, the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) are developing fibers and textiles with a novel infection protection system. The basis is an antimicrobial mechanism of action licensed from Heraeus and marketed under the name AGXX. The goal of the collaboration is to optimally integrate the AGXX technology into textile finishes and coatings and to incorporate it into fiber-spinnable polymers. This will provide medical textiles with highly effective and long-lasting protection against microbial infections.
 
AGXX technology is based on an entirely new mechanism of action. It uses a catalytic redox reaction initiated by metallic AGXX particles consisting of silver and ruthenium. In interaction with humidity, reactive oxygen species such as peroxides are formed. These are oxygen-containing molecules with very high reactivity. They effectively kill microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae and are equally effective against viruses.

The special feature of this mechanism of action is that the AGXX particles are not reduced and do not release any active ingredients. In established antimicrobial systems based on the release of silver ions, the release of active ingredients has become a problem: the release of the silver ion concentration is difficult to control and many of the established systems do not meet the requirements of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Such systems will disappear from the market in the medium term and must be replaced by alternatives.

In addition to permanent efficacy, the AGXX technology offers a particularly broad spectrum of protection against pathogens and prevents the formation of resistance.
      
Heraeus AGXX technology has reached a high level of development and is used in various industries. In general, AGXX particles can be easily incorporated into various materials. However, textiles used in the medical sector are subject to more stringent requirements. The resistance of the antimicrobial protection mechanism must be high, as contaminated textiles can be a source of transmission of pathogens over a long period of time. Modification of the textile material, either by surface treatment (finishing or coating) or by incorporation of AGXX into filament yarns, should not adversely affect the physiology of the garment. This is because a reduction in textile properties is unlikely to be accepted by the wearers of the textiles.

The integration of AGXX particles into textile finishes and fiber spinnable polymers is the focus of the joint research approach of the DITF and Heraeus. The goal is not only to determine the optimal concentration of AGXX particles to provide the best possible protection against infection without compromising the mechanical properties of the textiles. The technical prerequisites for the development of suitable textile finishes and the compounding of polymer melts are also being created.

The resulting textile samples are tested for antimicrobial and antiviral activity in the DITF's own laboratories. Here, finishes and coatings for polyester and polyamide fabrics showed convincing results. The compounding of AGXX in the PA6 polymer melt enabled the production of filament fibers with consistently good fiber strength values.

The determination of textile mechanical parameters such as abrasion resistance, air permeability and dimensional change as a function of number of wash cycles is still in progress. However, it is becoming apparent that textiles modified with AGXX are consistently effective without having an excessive impact on the nature of the textile.

The results of the research are an important contribution to reducing the risk of infection from medical workwear. They form the basis for future industrial production of textiles for durable and reliable protection against infection.

The University of Plymouth will work with Circular Flow to examine the scope for developing a UK neoprene recycling facility. A plan to develop the UK’s first wetsuit recycling facility is among eight new projects funded by Future Fibres Network Plus.

Many wetsuits are made from neoprene – but the UK currently has no way of recycling them, meaning more than 380 tonnes is burned or landfilled each year. The neoprene recycling project is one of the eight mini projects newly funded by the network.

Led by the University of Plymouth and working with industry partner Circular Flow Ltd, it will examine the scope for developing a UK neoprene recycling facility to help make the surfing and diving industry more circular or sustainable. Circular Flow already has a facility in Bulgaria, but establishing one in the UK – home to some of the world’s most popular surfing locations – would be a significant development.
Dr Kayleigh Wyles, Associate Professor in Psychology: “Our project will investigate the level of interest among UK businesses for returning end-of-life wetsuits and accessories to a UK facility where they can be turned into new and useful products. We also aim to understand consumers’ willingness to purchase and wear recycled neoprene products, and explore the logistics of developing a recycling facility.”

“Many of those who buy and wear wetsuits have a genuine interest in the environment, and therefore in the sustainability of these products. However, wetsuits are one of the hardest products to recycle and the possibility of opening a recycling facility in the UK is very exciting,” stated Emma Major-Mudge,
Head of Sales and Commercial Partnerships, Circular Flow
 
Dr Katie Major-Smith, a post-doctoral researcher involved in the project, added: Ultimately, we hope to promote circularity in the water sports industry and keep hundreds of tonnes of wetsuits out of landfill.

If the findings suggest there is sufficient support for a neoprene recycling facility, the team will develop an investment pack to share with funders to help build it.

Future Fibres Network Plus – which aims to bring environmental science into the heart of the UK fashion, clothing and textile sectors – is a network led by the University of Exeter, collaborating with the universities of Leeds, Huddersfield and Plymouth, University of the Arts London, and the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT).

Through its flexible fund, Future Fibres Network Plus is investing a total of £1 million in the eight projects.

Those projects include another initiative being led by the University, in partnership with Plan B Recycling Technologies Ltd, centred around the fibre-to-fibre recycling potential of polyester.
Recycled polyester pellets are often of low quality due to contamination by other materials, and the new project will develop a pre-recycling treatment process to improve recycled polyester quality.
It will address barriers to fibre recycling, examine the levels of microfibre release during laundry, and create a knowledge repository to optimise recycling processes.

Future Fibres Network Plus sits within the Network Plus in Circular Fashion and Textiles, a collaboration of three sub-networks that seeks to understand and drive the fashion and textile industry towards sustainable and responsible practices. The Network Plus is part of the UKRI £15million Circular Fashion and Textile Programme.

Cornell researchers have developed an elegant and sustainable way to clean up waterways: reusing one waste product to remove another.

Led by Larissa Shepherd, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Human Centered Design, in the College of Human Ecology, the team has proposed using discarded silk yarn for the removal of dye and oil from water. Studies on several different forms of silk: fabrics, yarns, and fibers revealed that yarn unraveled from silk fabric, soaked up methylene blue (MB), a common textile dye, from water at a substantially higher rate than other forms of silk they tested.
 
What’s more, the silk yarn can be cleaned and reused. Shepherd’s group found that the textile can withstand at least 10 cycles, with minimal loss of functionality.
 
Shepherd is the corresponding author of “Waste Bombyx Mori Silk Textiles as Efficient and Reuseable Bio-Adsorbents for Methylene Blue Dye Removal and Oil-Water Separation,” published in November 2024 in the journal Fibers. Co-authors are Hansadi Jayamaha, doctoral candidate in the field of fiber science, and Isabel Schorn ’26, a fiber science undergraduate.

Jayamaha found that 12 milligrams of silk filament yarn have 90% MB dye removal efficiency within 10 minutes of exposure, for concentrations up to 100 parts per million, substantially greater than the efficiency of other forms – even electrospun fiber mats or fabrics treated with the hollow silk microparticle spheres, which was a surprise, the researchers said.

“By creating the spheres,” Jayamaha said, “we were creating a more hydrophilic surface compared to the silk fabric, which is more hydrophobic. But by disassembling the fabric to the yarn stage, we are creating higher surface area, and that improves the adsorption.”

The group also tested silk textile adsorption capacity with oil, and found that Noil fabric (a textile that contains silk yarns composed of short fibers, rather than filament) displays oil adsorption capacities three times the initial weight of the fabric for corn oil, and close to twice the weight for gasoline.

Tests on both materials showed that, following a diminishment of function after the first cleaning-reuse cycle, the material maintained its functionality for the subsequent nine cycles.
This intrinsic property of silk as a dye adsorbent, the group found, can be achieved without chemical or other alteration of the material – just deconstructing the textile product.
     
“When you regenerate silk, you have to use very harsh chemicals,” Shepherd said. “In our case, we’re just using the fabrics themselves. Yes, we may have to unravel them to get the benefit, but that’s much better than putting these harsh chemicals out into the environment.”

Shepherd envisions “pillows” containing the silk yarn unraveled from discarded textiles and remnants from the cut and sew operations of the textiles industry as being an effective means of cleaning up spills and waste materials, including MB dye, which is detrimental to agricultural land and waterways when it is accidentally released from textile plants.

“We realized that we can kill two birds with one stone: We can get rid of waste textiles, which is a big issue in the textile industry in general,” Shepherd said. “And then we found that it’s actually really good at adsorbing, just because of its natural, structural properties.”

This work made use of the Cornell Center for Materials Research Shared Facilities, as well as the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility, a member of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, which is supported by the National Science Foundation. This work was partially funded by an American Association of Textiles Chemists and Colorists graduate research grant.

Price pressure, reluctance to buy and changing demands on the longevity of products. Retailers around the world are facing similar challenges. Heimtextil Trends 25/26, curated by the Milan-based design platform Alcova, consciously addresses these challenges and provides valuable inspiration and conclusive solutions. Visitors will find these in the Trend Arena in Hall 3.0 at Heimtextil from 14 to 17 January 2025.

With its three themes - ‘Naturally Uneven’, ‘Radically Restructured’ and ‘Regenerative’ - Heimtextil Trends 25/26 focuses on key values such as integrity, longevity and ecological awareness. These themes reflect what is becoming increasingly important to customers: Products that not only impress with their aesthetics, but also fulfil ethical and ecological requirements. These approaches can be experienced live in the Trend Arena - from material qualities and colours to innovative production processes. Retailers will be given concrete inspiration and tools to orientate their product range towards more conscious consumption. After all, consumers' purchasing decisions are clear: long-lasting, highquality products that are also produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way are very popular. A recent study conducted by IFH on behalf of Messe Frankfurt confirms this. Consumers are becoming increasingly selective and weigh things up carefully before making a purchase decision. When they decide in favour of a product, it must be convincing in all areas: durable, high quality - but also sustainable. After all, the majority of Europeans attach great importance to sustainability when it comes to home textiles. Aspects such as long-lasting products, recyclable materials and transparency are among the key criteria.

The beauty of the imperfect: ‘Naturally Uneven’
‘Naturally Uneven’ celebrates the rawness and authenticity of natural materials. Fabrics such as linen, hemp, jute and wool stand for organic structures and handmade perfection in the imperfect. Small imperfections and natural grains make each piece unique and tell stories of craftsmanship and originality. The colour palette emphasises this natural aesthetic: soft grey like untreated stone, unbleached fibre tones and the delicate ‘Rose of Permanence’, which symbolises down-to-earthness and timelessness.

Innovation meets sustainability: ‘Radically Restructured’
This theme shows how advanced technologies and environmentally conscious design merge. The focus is on recycled materials that minimise the consumption of resources and set new standards in textile production. Heavy and light, transparent and opaque - these contrasts create a fascinating interplay of structure and appearance. In terms of colour, bold shades such as ‘End of Petrol’ and ‘New Green Deal’ dominate, visualising the upheaval. Techniques such as 3D weaving, digital printing and laser cutting reflect the innovative power that characterises this approach.

Redefining circular thinking: ‘Regenerative’
‘Regenerative’ embodies the principles of renewal, growth and circularity for customers who want to help shape a more sustainable future. Here you will find a mix of natural, recycled and bio-based fibres from linen, hemp and recycled wool to textiles that have been upcycled or reused. Handcrafted elements and techniques underline the focus on imperfection and individuality, while colours such as ‘Regenerative Azure’ or ‘Repairable Green’ convey the theme in all its many facets.

ISPO Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for the sports industry and the world’s largest sports business event, is about to begin and will soon present the prestigious ISPO Awards to the most innovative products and newcomers of tomorrow. The ISPO Awards are regarded as a global driving force for the sports industry. Showcasing the latest trends and innovations in product design, materials and digital solutions, these awards set new standards for the future of the sports industry.

The best products of 2024 will be honoured at ISPO Munich in December and can be seen at the ISPO Award area in Hall B1 from 3 to 5 December 2024. At the same time, newcomers to the sports and outdoor industry will be given a stage at ISPO Brandnew, the largest start-up competition in the sports business, where they will present their innovative products in exciting live pitches during ISPO Munich. The grand finale will take place on the second day of the event on the Main Stage.

The ISPO Award seal of quality is given to sports products with a particularly high level of innovation, thus providing a curated overview of the most important trends in the industry. For the brands, innovations are enormously important and indispensable, whether in the textile sector, where much has changed in terms of materials, or in the integration of AI into all sub-sectors of the sporting goods industry. An expert jury of business professionals and regularly changing, sports-loving retail consumers from the ISPO Collaborators Club will review the submitted product innovations in advance and award prizes to the ones that meet the relevant criteria.

The submitted products make it possible to identify and observe trends. In 2024, the spectrum of trends continues to include sustainability in relation to textile innovations, the circular economy and recycling, as well as retail consumers’ desire for multipurpose use of diverse products. The integration of technology and the ever-growing role of AI numbers among the most exciting observations.

SUSTAINABILITY AS THE STANDARD
New EU legislation has led to an acceleration in the development of sustainable, functional materials. At this year’s ISPO Award jury meetings, numerous exciting material innovations were observed, especially in the textile sector. Progress in chemical treatments, such as PFC-free DWRs and textiles, is also remarkable. “Sustainability is increasingly becoming the norm, which means that consumers are coming to expect it as standard”, says juror and textile expert Dr Regina Henkel. “Progress is visible, for example, in the use of mono-materials or bio-based fabrics such as wool-Tencel blends”, which are used, for example, in this year’s ISPO Award winner Icebreaker with the Merino Blend 800 RealFleece Classic Pile LS Zip.

The ISPO Award entries also make it obvious that the performance of sustainable products made from recycled fibres has improved markedly so that the functionality of these products is now fully on a par with non-recycled items. Nevertheless, recycling will not be the solution to all future challenges, which is why manufacturers are increasingly incorporating into their collections natural fibres and biodegradable sports textiles, either in pure form or as a blend.

MULTI-USE REMAINS A TOP TREND
The trend towards multifunctional products reflects consumers’ desire for practical solutions. Particularly in Asia, multifunctional hardware products are perceived positively, while in Europe the focus is on textiles for multifunctional use. “High-quality, high-performance materials and designs are being adapted as everyday fashion, thus appealing to a broader target group”, explains trade journalist Dr Martina Wengenmeir, who is also one of the ISPO Award’s jurors. The “urban outdoor” trend is continuing and multipurpose products are also coming into focus in the area of commitment. One example of this is the Outdoor Backpack 45L from Peak Design, which combines fashionable and multifunctional design with full performance.

ISPO Award juror Dr Wengenmeir has identified another trend: “There is a growing focus on technical sports products designed specifically for women. These include football shoes with a design that is genuinely their own. This development goes beyond simple adjustments and includes well-thought-out designs in terms of fit and functionality.” These also include the BettHer - Bra Antishock+: the bra relies on a patented thermoplastic gel technology that provides excellent shock absorption and protection during intense activities.

INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY
A trend from Asia that is also arriving in Europe is the integration of technology into clothing, for example through sensors and warmth apps. The personalisation of garments using technologies such as AI and sensor technology for temperature regulation is regarded as a potential growth area, despite concerns about sustainability.

Technology is also playing an increasingly important role for brick-and-mortar retailers, for example, when it comes to analysing the right product for the customer. Treadmills for running analysis are well known, but this year’s ISPO Award winner, the Skimulator, is a patented world first for a perfect fit of ski boots. This state-of-the-art simulator precisely simulates slope gradients, thus enabling the perfect fit of the ski boot.

ISPO BRANDNEW AWARD
ISPO Munich also provides a stage for the most innovative and creative newcomers in the sports and outdoor industry. Previous ISPO Brandnew winners include pioneering brands from all over the world that have redefined the boundaries of their respective fields with innovative materials, cutting-edge technology and sustainable action. Four start-ups each from the categories “Outdoor & Adventure & Snowsports”, “Performance, Body & Mind (physical product)”, “Sustainability” and “Sports Technology & Platforms” will pitch their ideas live on the main stage. A sneak peek at the innovations on show includes: BreezeLabs, which monitors breathing patterns during exercise; no normal coffee, coffee in a tube; and the AeroGraph Puffer Jacket, a weather-insulating jacket. The winner will be announced in the grand finale on the second day of the fair (4 December 2024).